1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to emergency exit indication equipment and more particularly to a highly adaptable thin device having one or more units connected together, each unit having an independent emergency power for enabling the unit to visually indicate and audibly warn trapped people to escape from a building where, for example, a fire has occurred.
2. Description of Related Art
For safety reasons, exit lights are required to mount in a building. These exit lights are aimed at helping persons escape by following the indication signs in case of emergency (e.g., fire, earthquake, or the like).
There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for emergency exit indication devices. For example, Taiwanese Utility Model Publication No. 590,193 discloses an emergency exit light either fixedly mounted on a recess of wall or hanged thereon. The exit light typically has an elevation of about at least two (2) meter above the floor for preventing the head of an ordinary person from colliding while walking or running. It is understood that in case of fire the best way for a trapped person leaving the scene is either lowering his or her body while running or walking or crawling. Also, smoke rises by nature. Hence, smoke can completely block the view of the trapped person. As a result, the desired function of directing trapped persons to leave the fire scene is compromised.
Another Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. M280,515 discloses an optoelectric emergency exit light. It comprises a base, a LED (light-emitting diode) mounted on the base, and an indication sign. The LED will emit light when, for example, a fire occurs. However, the patent suffers a number of drawbacks the same as that described above.
Still, there is a strip shaped emergency exit light commercially available. It comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements connected in series as indication sign, and a circuit adapted to cause the light-emitting elements to flash in case of, for example, fire. However, the elongate exit light is not allowed to customize. Thus, its applications are very limited.
Moreover, any above prior art suffered from a number of common disadvantages. First, it is relatively bulky and it is thus difficult of mounting on a lower portion of a wall, a corner, or on a floor. Second, it is a light based device. Thus, it is useless for blind persons. Third, it is powered by a single rechargeable battery. Thus, the desired function of directing trapped persons to leave in case of emergency is compromised if the battery is damaged. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of emergency exit indication and warning device are constantly being sought.